60 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[February, 
Evergreens in Pots. 
BY JOSIAH HOOPES—AUTHOR OP BOOK OP EVERGREENS. 
For many j'ears past, the pot-culture of Ever¬ 
greens has been a feature in the nurseries and 
arboretums of Europe, while Americans have 
nearly overlooked this practice, with all its con¬ 
sequent advantages and profits. The main ad¬ 
vantages to be derived from growing Evergreens 
in pots are—their early removal, comparative 
safety during transportation, the ease in hand¬ 
ling, successful transplanting, promotion of 
fibrous roots, etc. The rarer species 
only are grown in pots, as the common 
and cheaper kinds will not remunerate 
for the extra expense. The seedlings or 
cuttings should be early potted off, to in¬ 
duce an abundance of fibrous roots at 
the commencement, as well as for the 
purpose of hardening the stem, and mak¬ 
ing the plant stocky. A proper compost 
is two parts of good turfy loam, one of 
muck or well-rotted leaf mould, and one 
of coarse, sharp sand; to which may be 
added a small proportion of old liot-bed 
manure, thoroughly decomposed. Never, 
under any circumstances, use fresh ma¬ 
nure, sand from a bank, nor muck or leaf 
mould that has not been exposed to the 
action of frost. A sandy mould is prefer¬ 
able to a clayey one. The young plants 
should never be shifted into larger pots, 
unless the roots become very plentiful on 
the surface of the ball of earth. We 
have known instances where valuable 
plants were killed by using too large 
pots, and thus causing the young rootlets 
to rot. Evergreens never require a great 
abundance of water, but they should 
never suffer from its being withheld too 
long. A thorough drainage should al¬ 
ways be used. Rough pebbles, broken 
pots, charcoal, etc., are excellent, with 
a slight covering of moss. During the 
summer, the pots should be sunk in the 
ground up to their rims, and they will,, 
consequently need but little attention, ex¬ 
cept an occasional watering and weed¬ 
ing—little, if any more in fact, than when 
growing in the soil of the border. We 
have seen in some places very pretty 
effects produced with these young Evergreens 
in pots, by placing them in certain positions, 
to form neat-looking beds of various shapes 
—the taller ones in the centre, gradually slop¬ 
ing down to the little specimens in the outer 
circles. Our nurserymen in the Northern States 
are often desirous of growing some of the half- 
hardy species, but are deterred by the losses 
sustained during winter. Pot-culture offers a 
remedy. The plants may be taken up in the 
autumn and sunk in cold-frames. They are 
then easily protected by a good thick covering 
of rough manure around the sides of the frame, 
whilst the top should have tight shutters, to 
cover it securely. A cool, dry cellar is an excel¬ 
lent place in which to winter young Conifers 
in pots, and will pay for itself in a short time. 
Whoever has visited the beautiful collections 
at Wodenethe on the Hudson, or Wellesley near 
Boston, must have been pleased with the orient¬ 
al appearance produced by the large Arau¬ 
carias, etc., grown in tubs. There is something 
indescribable in the novel effect of these tender 
strangers, intermingled with the well-known 
Spruces and Pines, so familiar to us all. To 
have these in perfection requires a large glass¬ 
house during winter, and consequently their 
culture must, to a certain extent, be limited; 
but there are very many plants with evergreen 
leaves, that can be grown in large pots for 
several years, and which will prove very valua¬ 
ble for decorative purposes; as, for instance, 
Pinus patulcc, P. longifolia, P. Canariensis , P. 
Devoniana, P. fimplia, P. Gordoniana, several 
species of Gupressus , Dacridium, Frenela, Junip- 
erus, Podocarpus, 1 fee., &c. As the plants be¬ 
come unmanageable, they should be supplanted 
by younger ones, which will 'last for several 
years. By sinking the pots their whole length 
PUBLIC 
ST RE ST 
PLAN FOR LAYING OUT A SMALL PLACE. 
in the ground, the tender occupants have the 
appearance of growing in the position where 
they are placed, although the larger plants in 
tubs are attractive when simply set on the grass 
in suitable positions, either, singly or in groups. 
Plan for Laying Out a Small Place. 
BY EUGENE A. BAUMANN, RAHWAY, N. J. 
[The following plan, by one of our most emi¬ 
nent landscape gardeners, will meet the wants 
of many owners of town or village lots.—Ed.] 
This plan shows a town or suburban lot 
about 350 by 400 feet, having about one-half 
the area in walks, yard, and vegetable garden. 
The laying out is in the simple style generally 
preferred for such places; the vegetable garden 
is in the rear, and being near the stable yard, 
manure is readily carried to the ground. 
The carriage approach, 13 feet wide, strikes 
the dwelling A, just in front. This is an ar¬ 
rangement to which I am generally opposed, 
preferring to have the main front free, and the 
entrance somewhere on the side; but as in most 
small suburban houses, in consequence of the 
interior arrangements, the main entrance is 
ttyo front, the drive is made to conform to it, 
By simply locating steps on the left or right 
hand side of the piazza, the drive could be car¬ 
ried on the side of the house, leaving the front 
lawn entirely free for ornamenting, and thus 
avoiding a large graveled space where a lawn 
would appear much better, and be less trouble. 
To economize space, instead of establishing 
a turn on the right of the house, the drive is 
carried up to the stable yard at C, which is 
made a few feet larger than usual, to allow 
vehicles to turn and drive back to the front 
stops. This arrangement greatly simplifies the 
whole, but I am afraid that many per¬ 
sons will object to turning in front of the 
coach house, though that place can be 
kept as clean as any other. At D, in a 
triangle left between the stable yard and 
one of the walks, there will be room for 
in' a drying ground. At B, in the rear yard, 
gj there is the well, near the kitchen door; 
L l at E, a grape arbor, subdividing the 
rear of the house and the yard from the 
pleasure ground, leading in a straight 
line to the central walk in the vegetable 
garden. At F, is suggested a small flower 
garden on the sunny side of the build¬ 
ing 1 ; more flower beds could be made on 
the soddings surrounding the dwelling, 
near the grape arbor, or in single groups 
on the lawn, but the smallness of the 
scale hardly allows them to be represent¬ 
ed. The vegetable garden at the rear is 
divided into two main parts; one, G, for 
the ordinary annual crops on the right; 
the one on the left is in the three divi¬ 
sions, H, I, K, for Asparagus, Strawberry, 
and Rhubarb beds, or perhaps for Goose¬ 
berries, Blackberries, and Raspberries. 
Borders of eight feet in width, all along 
the fences, are intended for standard and 
dwarf fruit trees, placed alternately, while 
the two borders along the central path 
are for small fruits. The upper border, 
at M, most exposed to the sun, may best 
answer for a trellis of Grape vines, with 
Currants and Gooseberries in front. At 
O, O, O, a hedge is indicated, dividing 
the vegetable garden from the pleasure 
ground. This hedge ought to be of some 
kind which answers well in a shady place, 
as the belt of shrubbery suggested be¬ 
tween the pleasure ground and the hedge will 
partly shade it. The Barberry will be the best. 
The part of the lawn N is mainly surrounded 
by deciduous shade trees, like the Sycamore, 
Norway Maple, and American Linden, and 
could be advantageously used either as a 
croquet ground, or a play-ground for children. 
The trees in the rear of the house, as well as 
those in front of the stable yard and north of 
the grape arbor, are mostly Evergreens. 
Other evergreen trees, principally Hemlocks 
and White Pines, and some Junipers, may be 
employed to advantage right and left of the two 
gates, but mixed with deciduous kinds. 
The balance of the plants, especially along the 
south-west fence, is to be mostly of deciduous 
trees and shrubs, with single evergreen trees of 
various sizes and sorts in front of them. Groups 
of flowering shrubs, such as Weigelias, Spiraeas, 
Deutzias, and Hydrangeas, ought to be detached 
from the densely crowded belts, to show better. 
Plants in the Cellar need air on mild 
days. They are more apt to suffer from damp¬ 
ness than from dryness, yet they should bo 
looked to occasionally, and not be allowed to 
become y flat Mr, Henderson calls “ [tilling dry,” 
